I've decided that a silencer is probably going to be my introduction unto the NFA world. I've been looking at the "Dragonfly" by AAC. (I already have a buckmark and love it but not sure if saveing a 100 bucks to have to change barrels out is worth it)

But my questions are...

1) Am i posting in the right forum?
2) Is there an existing owner out there that can report on how quiet the gun actually is, and if the purchase was worth the money to them?
3) I understand that you can not buy a newly manufactured full auto gun, but can you buy a newly manufactured silencer?

This forum has handled suppressor discussions in the past, so I'm guessing it is still appropriate to field your questions here.

I have only shot the AAC Phoenix, the Ruger MKII integral suppressor pistol. It is marvelously quiet with all the varieties of ammunition I've used in it. From what I've read about the Firefly, the two models are close in their level of report. Small Arms Review has had articles focused on both models and commented favorably on them. The Firefly is appealing to me in that it seems easier to clean the breech area than in the Ruger. Also the design looks like it would allow more of the crud to blow out before it has a chance to build up as it does in the Ruger.

You can buy newly manufactured silencers in most states, but some places are easier to get transfers than others.

One last thought for you to consider - I bought my own SWR manufactured Ruger integral as my first silencer. It is as fine a weapon as the AAC guns, quiet and nicely finished. Since then I've also acquired an AAC Scarab screw on suppressor. If I had it to do over again, I'd just get the muzzle can. It offers plenty of decibel reduction at less cost and you can move it around to any threaded .22 barrel.

You might want to take a look at Doug Melton's work (www.srtarms.com). I just ordered a Cheyenne XL from him and understand its supposed to be a great suppressor. Gem-tech has excellent products too. I've shot the first version of the Outback and wasn't too impressed, but they've now come out with an improved model - the Outback II. My personal favorite is the Bowers CAC-22. Tom made one run of these and hasn't made another. I paid $375 for mine, but its all steel, very quiet and can easily handle full auto fire. Its heavy compared to other .22 cans, but its an excellent can and built like a battleship. If you can find one, even used, I'd highly recommend it.

FWIW though, I've heard good things about both the Tac-67 and the Pilot. I don't think you can really go wrong with either. If you can find a dealer who has them in stock and maybe a demo unit available to try out, that would be best. Different cans have different sounds and even cans with the exact same decibel sound reduction can sound VERY different to the human ear.

I wuoldn't worry too much about a sealed can. Many people say the gunk that builds up in a .22 can actually makes it more quiet - I can't say I 've ever tested or noticed, so there may, or may not be any truth to that claim. I have seen Doc Dater (Dater is the owner & president of Gem-tech) post online that they have never cleaned their Outback demo model and it still gets excellent supression. From anyone else, I'd still be a bit wary, but Phil Dater has one of the best reputations in the industry and is known to be a straight shooter, no bull**** kind of guy.

I have the AAC Phoenix, rifle and pistol. Or I should say that I own them and they are at my dealer waiting in the tax stamp.
My only comment about AAC is to be prepared to wait a long time to get your stuff.

__________________
You know the rest. In the books you have read
How the British Regulars fired and fled,
How the farmers gave them ball for ball,
From behind each fence and farmyard wall,
Chasing the redcoats down the lane,
Then crossing the fields to emerge again
Under the trees at the turn of the road,
And only pausing to fire and load.

Couldn't you run solvant through it to clean the gunk out a bit? I dont know anything about suppressors, but there has to be some way to clean it out. Rubbing alcahol maybe, since it dries rather easily. And its cheap.

__________________
"Where the choice is between only violence and cowardice, I would advise violence."
~ Mohatma Gandhi

So many of these questions that come up in these discussions are easily answered right at the manufacturers website.
Here is a link to AAC's website, frequently asked questions. Click on any one of their suppressor models and it will answer questions such as how to clean them.

__________________
You know the rest. In the books you have read
How the British Regulars fired and fled,
How the farmers gave them ball for ball,
From behind each fence and farmyard wall,
Chasing the redcoats down the lane,
Then crossing the fields to emerge again
Under the trees at the turn of the road,
And only pausing to fire and load.

True, I have read the AAC website on how to clean thier sealed suppressors. I understand that the only way to clean them is to soak them in solvent. (I believe they recremend karosene or paint thinner) But in my experience on cleaning really gunked up firearms, soaking them won't do much good with really caked on stuff because it limits them amount of surface area that actually becomes in contact with the solvent. I'm afraid that the voids between the baffels will become filled and eventually the gases will have no where to go but out in the same manner they would with un-suppressed firing. Agreed this may take a lifetime of shooting, but I'm in the philosophy of solving a problem before it occurs.

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